Unresolved
by kurisuchie2kimi
Summary: When Ryan and Trey were kids, they put away one of their mom's boyfriends. As Ryan reflects on Trey, and something that happened eight years ago, Ryan gets a call that realises his worst fears. R&R Please! Better then it sounds!
1. Chapter 1: Nightmares & Bad Dreams

A/N: Well, here I am again, back with another O.C. fanfic! Another Trey/Ryan thing lol. This has been in production for awhile, me and my lurv-e-ly co-authoress Kerry have been drafting it over and over until it was perfect! Or close to perfect, and here is the result! Another chapter is already in the works, but read and review and tell us if you think we should continue! Credit goes to myself, and KoolKerry25! Enjoy!

Unresolved  
A 'The Dearly Beloved' fiction.

"No!"

Another bad dream.

Ryan Atwood had been having a lot of those lately. Yesterday, for example, he'd dreamt that his girlfriend, Marissa Cooper, had left him and gone off with some random little rich boy.  
But that was just a nightmare. Ryan knew the difference between nightmares and bad dreams.

A nightmare was just a fear of the unknown, a frightening illusion of something fictional, something contrived out of subconscious ponderings. But it wasn't real, that was the main thing. Ryan knew Marissa would never leave him despite his tendency to worry. They'd been through so much this past year, they were strong.

Yesterday night his sleep was uncomfortable, nightmares always are, but the good thing is that when you wake up in the morning you feel relieved because then the whole situation disappears.

It isn't real.

But tonight was different. Tonight Ryan had woke up panting, laced in sweat and feeling nauseous. He had woken up crying, crying out for his brother.

Trey.

It had been months since the shooting and Ryan was sure he'd put it all behind him. But that's the trouble when you try to forget the unresolved, it never happens. It's always there lurking in the background, like a dark cloud that never rains. One things for sure though, no matter how much you tell yourself it's over it will always show up to haunt you later and tonight it had, in the shape of a bad dream.

A bad dream mixes reality with your subconscious. A bad dream recalls the most traumatic events in your life, memories you've tried so hard to oppress, are ruthlessly dredged back up in your mind, forcing you to watch them over again. Forcing you to realize things you once tried to ignore.

Ryan couldn't ignore the coincidences anymore.

That night he had tossed and turned in a restless whirlwind that mingled together the memories of the two worst experiences Ryan had even had. One happened over eight years ago while the other, well I'm sure you can guess what the other event was…

---------------------------Flashback, Trey's POV---------------------------

A gunshot echoed through the small Newport apartment, and everything seemed to go in slow motion.

Trey Atwood looked back at Marissa Cooper, sheet white and gun in hand, as he tasted the blood on his lips and felt the shock slowly surging through his body, but then... Marissa was gone.

He couldn't see her. But all of a sudden his eyes widened in a startled expression when he saw the figure that was now standing before him in Marissa's place.

A small, sandy haired boy with a button nose and timid blue eyes, of the sort that Trey could never mistake. The eyes belonged to the ten year old Ryan Atwood that was now looking back at him….

Trey opened his mouth as if to speak but found himself perplexed by emotion, he watched on in horror as the young boy just stared back at him with the saddest expression on his face as he slowly began to shake his head in disappointment "Why'd you do it Trey?"  
Trey's mouth contorted in sheer disbelief, then Ryan's expression hardened and anger now flashed through the ten year olds eyes, "I said, why'd you do it RAY?"

--------------------------------Flashback, eight years ago---------------------------------

A vodka bottle flew through the air at an alarming speed, aiming for thirteen year old Trey and ten year old Ryan Atwood, the bottle thrown by their mother Dawn's boyfriend-of-the-moment, Ray. Ray had caught Trey selling his pot off to high school kids, and was now a very pissed off drunk.

The two boy's clambered to their feet, the bottle narrowly missing Ryan. Trey yanked him by the hand and out of the way.  
"I wan't a word w' th you," slurred Ray to Trey, swaying dangerously as he advanced on the brothers.

Ryan looked up at Trey and saw fear in his brother's eyes as they darted about furiously searching for an escape route. The only way to get to the door was by past Ray.

"Stay away from us Ray!" shouted Trey, stepping backwards with a scared Ryan thrust behind him. "You're gonna pay for stealing my weed you little shit!" threatened the towering drunk as he made a swipe for the front of Trey's T-shirt.

Trey dodged out of the way just in time then Ryan felt himself being half dragged, half lifted to the end of the room as Trey tried desperately to get his brother to safety.

Ray had spun round and was now hot on their tracks looking very, very angry.

Trey pushed Ryan out the screen door, "Run, Ry!" he yelled at him desperately while Ryan clung and pulled at his brother's arm. But it was too late, Ray had made it up the hall and had now got hold of Trey's other arm before he'd been able to exit the house. Trey looked down at Ryan who was still holding onto him tightly, trying to get him outside. Trey knew once Ray had gotten hold of him that it was no use, he was beat. But he wasn't going to let Ryan be beat as well, so he let go of Ryan's grasp and, with his renaming free hand, gave his little brother a shove backwards. Ryan stumbled back and lost his hold on Trey, who had now disappeared behind the threshold. The door slammed shut and immediately locked behind him with a click.

Ray grabbed Trey's hair, yanking him around. He sneered down at him, his breath stinking of Vodka. "I'll teach you to sell my stuff..." he slurred, smashing Trey's head against a wall. Trey tried to fight back, but that only caused him more pain, now getting punches to the face and kicks to the ribs.

Ryan rushed forwards, watching in horror through the screen door as his big brother, his hero, was viciously beaten. Suddenly, Ryan began hitting and banging at the window, shouting out for Ray to stop…

---------------------------------

"Stop it, your killing him!" screamed Marissa helplessly as she watched in a dead fear as her boyfriend lay choking at the hands of his manic brother. She needed to stop him, she needed to save Ryan.

---------------------------------

Ryan's eyes grew huge with fear as he saw Ray push down on Trey's throat with his foot, cutting off Trey's air supply.

---------------------------------

That's when Marissa spotted the gun on the apartment floor...

That's when Ryan spotted the brick on the porch floor...

---------------------------------

Trey continued to strangle Ryan, who was now in desperate need of some oxygen, so Trey loosened his grip slightly and for a split second, it looked like Trey had come to his senses. But then Trey began slashing his arms around in a wild search for something...For a weapon.

He quickly spotted the telephone on the table and without a second thought, he had grabbed it and was preparing to smash it down against his gasping brother's skull.

--------------------------------

Ray, still with his foot on Trey's throat, reached over and picked up the first blunt object that came into his hands. Ryan's baseball trophy.

He clasped the heavy instrument tightly before turning back, clearly intending to end Trey once and for all, and for the first time in his short life, Trey Atwood feared he would die. Just as Ray pulled back to give Trey a final, fatal blow...

--------------------------------

Marissa picked up the gun and pointed it at Trey's back...

Ryan grabbed the brick and heaved it through the door's window...

And then...'BANG!'

-------------------------------

Ryan looked up at Trey, and Trey looked down at Ryan….

And that's when Ryan woke up.

End Chapter One.

A/N: There ya go! End of Chapter one! Remember: Read and Review to tell us if you think we should continue! Peace out!


	2. Chapter 2: Early Morning Phonecalls

A/N: Hey again! Well, here's chapter two! I just realised I didnt put a disclaimer in the first chapter..So here it is: Ready? Ready? drumroll... **Disclaimer: As much as I hate to admit it, I dont own The O.C, Seth, Ryan, Trey, or any mention of The O.C. related characters. I do, however, own Mr Ray Moreno, as does my lovely Authoress Kerry.  
**Tada! Wasnt that cool! Ok, getting off topic. Enjoy the chapter, and R&R! Thanks!

Unresolved  
Chapter Two: Early Morning Phonecalls.

Ryan's flourish of thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the phone beside his bed rang.

Moping his brow, he slid over in his bed and picked it up.

"Hello?" he mumbled in a tired voice. Ryan's breath froze as he heard the strange voice on the other line introduce himself.

"Hello Mr Atwood, my name's Officer Turner calling from Roadwake prison in Chino."

All at once a series of possible scenarios began to raced through Ryan's head as soon as he registered the words 'Prison' and 'Chino'. 'Trey got arrested…Dad broke out…' his imagination ran wild as the fear and anxiety of the unknown had him in a perplexed state of boggled silence.

"Mr Atwood" continued Officer Turner pressing on aloofly a few moments later when it was clear that Ryan was not going to respond, "I'm calling to inform you of the release of one of the prisoner's here, Mr Ray Moreno. As you and your brother, Mr Trey Atwood, were implicants in his prosecution trial, It is my duty to alert you to make you aware of his release."

Ryan took a deep breath in an attempt to clear his head as he tried to take it all in.

'Ray was out.'

'**_Ray _**was out!'

The hair on the back of his neck plucked up like pink pricks and his throat had quickly become very dry.

"I'm so-so what does this mean,..for us." he chocked out in a voice so much more small and child-like than he had anticipated. He needed to know if a restraining order would be in place.

"Excuse me?" said the gruff voice on the other end, straining to hear Ryan's barely audible words. Ryan coughed and cleared his throat, 'Get a hold of yourself!' he scolded to himself feeling slightly embarrassed, 'You're a big boy now, Ray's an old man.' He tried again, "So what does-" But the Officer wasted no time in rudely cutting him off, his impatience was now highly visible, it was clear the officer felt he had better things to be doing than reassuring some grown man that his teenage ass would be protected against some liquor-loving geriatric.

"Could you give me a contact number for your brother? His number isn't listed on our database." So much for that restraining order...

Ryan paused, not actually sure himself of Trey's current number. He hadn't seen his brother since that night he'd left on the bus to Vegas, and Trey was not one to stay in close contact, especially not after what had happened. After a brief pause, he answered on a whim "It's alright, I'll pass the message on...Thank you, officer…" and hung up.

Ryan sighed, realising the true extend of what he had just said. He didn't had a clue where to start looking for Trey, Vegas was a big place and that was even if Trey had decided to stay there. True, looking for his brother was the last thing he'd expected to be doing right now, but he didn't really have much of a choice. Trey was the one who Ray had attacked all those years ago. Trey was the one who got him sent down.

Ryan sighed and ruffled the back of his hair, at a lot for what to do. He was _sure _Ray wouldn't chance getting put away again after so long...but then again this was Ray. He wasn't just violent when he was angry, he was _mad._

Ryan messaged his chin, trying his best to think clearly under the circumstances.

'Ray will be an old man now,' he tried to reassure himself, but it failed in vain.

He knew Ray would still be Ray, give or take a few years, he's still be as strong, as short fused and as lethal as ever. The only question was...Was he bitter enough to try it again?

Ryan jumped out of bed and began to pull on some clothes, he had to do something, something quick, yet the problem was he didn't quite know what. In his hurry his mind was once again plagued with daunting allusions: What if Ray killed him? He wouldn't be there to lunge a brick at him this time. He had to find Trey.

He had to find a way to Trey before Ray did, he knew the only way Ray would get to Trey was through...

"Oh no" he said aloud having stopped mid-air. "Mom"

He made a mad dash for the phone, praying with all his might that Trey had decided to return home.

In his rush he knocked the phone off his bed and onto the floor at the other side. Just as he reclined and was about to dash round and get it, he heard a loud series of quick, familiarly annoying knocks on his door and realised that his manual alarm had just gone off. The very thing that usually woke him up every morning.

Seth.

Ryan gripped the side of his lip with his teeth, he couldn't let anyone else get involved in this mess, this was the last thing he needed. But never-the-less, Seth came bouncing on into the room a few moments later, stopped dead in his tracks, looked suspiciously at Ryan's dishevelled form and the went ahead in supplying Ryan with the very last words he needed to hear right now.

"Oh hey Ryan...wow, you're looking rather...um grungy-ish today..."

Ryan stared at him incredulously, yet Seth appeared not to have noticed.

"Hey did you know you're sweat-shirt's on back to front?"

End Chapter Two!

A/N: There ya go, chapter two in all it's mighty-ness. Credit to me and Kerry, and kudos to Kerry for adding in a little bit of comic relief from all this drama:D R&R and chapter three will be on it's way!


	3. Chapter 3: Operation: Track Down Trey!

Author's Note: I am sooo sorry it's taken so long to update! I've been busy with school, and it's hard to get in contact with Kerry on msn when we have such a big time difference! But finally, here is chapter three, and I hope you all enjoy it. Chapter four and five is in the works on my side, and me and Kerry need to figure out how much longer we're going to make this! So, disclaimer is in the previous chapter,enjoy, and remember, review!

Unresolved: Chapter three.  
Operation: Track Down Trey!

"So..." said Seth with a flummoxed expression as he sat on the chair facing Ryan's bed. He gave a long, deliberate sigh and then began to twiddle his thumbs in a slow, circular motion as if maintaining this composed look would betray the fact that inside his mind was screaming

'Noooooooooooooooooooo!'

"So" said Ryan curtly, having just explained to Seth the whole sordid story. Seth opened his mouth to say something but then he made the startling discovery that for the first time in his life, he had no idea how to approach what he had just been told. He just sat there, his disused mouth bluntly gaping open.

Seth was speechless.

"I guess there's a first for everything" muttered Ryan as he jumped to his feet and grabbed the keys from Seth's limp, open hand.

Ryan slid the pool house door shut behind him as he swiftly made his way to the Range Rover. The movement as the door closed firmly behind him seemed to suddenly snap Seth out of his baffled trance. He quickly jerked his head to the right only to find Ryan on his way to the car.

That's when his speech returned.

He bounced up off the chair before dashing like lightning out of the pool house in a desperate attempt to stop his departing foster brother.

"Ryan! Ryan!" he called urgently.

Ryan had barely got the key into the vehicle when he heard Seth's shrill voice come running up behind him. He closed his eyes and produced a reluctant smile. He didn't want Seth getting involved, but it didn't hurt to know that he had people there for him. Relentless or not.

And Ryan soon found out just how relentless good friends can be when only after a full twenty minutes of consistent arguing was he finally able to drive away.

Along with Seth in the passengers seat of course.

They left a brief note for Sandy and Kirsten (Seth had managed to jot down something about going away for the weekend) and now they were both on their way to Chino to try and find Dawn.

"I hope we can get there before he does" muttered Ryan as the drove out of Newport.

Seth perked up.

"Dude, do you really think this guy's gonna go back to her? I mean her kids were the reason he got put away, it's not like he's planning to come home and play happy families."

Ryan kept his eyes on the road and shook his head, "No, he'll go to _her_ alright" he said, "that guy was like a cockroach, no matter how many times she threw him out, he'd always find a way to get back in."

Seth looked gave an incredulous look, "yeah but I mean seriously, the man has been locked away for eight years, you don't think he's learned his lesson?" "Seth you don't know him okay!" snapped Ryan before biting down on his bottom lip. "Sorry…" said Seth lowering his eyes meekly. Ryan immediately regretted loosing his temper. "No man I'm sorry" he said, "I shouldn't have taken it out on you, it's just…Well…Ray's not your average run-o-the-mill crook. He's a madman, Seth, and he **doesn't** like to be wronged."

At these words Seth conjured a bewildered look "So you're saying..?" Ryan pursed his lips, he had to be straight with him. "I'm saying that he's sly and he'll go to my mum alright 'cause he knows that's the only way he can reel us in." "You and Trey" finished Seth. Ryan nodded, "And if he's got to my mom already then it won't be long before he gets to Trey."

"But here's what I don't understand," said Seth, looking confused. "If Trey's not in Chino, then how the heck is he gonna know about Ray?" Ryan sighed, Seth really didn't know Ray at all. "Ray'll make sure he does Seth, he'll find a way." "And then what?"

Ryan looked at Seth before turning back to the road and shrugging. "Well if Trey gets there before us then there's no question about it. He's a dead man."

"Wait, what? You didn't mention anything about potential death!" He yelled sceptically, frowning still.

Ryan gave Seth 'the look'.

Seth, now too frantic to devolve, could not let this go. "Dude, I'm sorry but if your brother kills some guy we are not getting into trouble for him again, not after what happened last-"

"Seth!" shouted Ryan, cutting him off his rant before he could go any further, "I'm not talking about Ray getting killed." Seth gave him a quizzical look that forced Ryan to complete the rest of his harrowing statement.

"I'm talking about Trey."

"Dude look out!"

Ryan slammed his foot down hard on the brakes as he almost crashed into the familiar looking Mercedes that had just pulled out before them. Summer Roberts, the owner of said Mercedes did the same, before pulling out and swerving round to the side of the Range Rover.

"Careful!" she yelled as she and Marissa climbed out the car and walked up to the boys' windows.

"Isn't it a bit early to be going off on some 'adventure'?" joked Marissa, squinting her eyes in the early morning sun. Summer pulled off her sunglasses "Isn't it a bit early for anything?" she said giving Seth a suspicious look.

"Where are you guys off to in such a rush anyway?" asked Marissa looking rather puzzled. Seth piped up, trying to save Ryan from the embarrassing task of having to divulge his not so pleasant past right then and there. "We were just going to breakfast" Seth said with a smile, feeling quite proud of himself for thinking of such a quick cover up. "Great! We'll join you!" said Summer with an even bigger smile as she saw Seth's fallen reaction. "Sure…" he managed through gritted teeth.

Feeling quite satisfied with herself, Summer skipped back to finish parking her car as Marissa hesitantly got into the back of the Range Rover. Marissa looked at the two unusually quiet males, well…Seth at least.

"What's going on?" Marissa asked. Ryan opened his mouth to speak, but Seth cut him off. "Some psycho is getting out of jail so we need to find Trey so he doesn't get killed." He blurted out.

Ryan glared at Seth, and Seth shrugged helplessly "What? You know what I'm like under pressure" he pleaded. Ryan rolled his eyes just as Marissa's widened "What? You're going _alone_?"

Ryan sighed, he's been expecting this sort of reaction. "I have Seth…" he muttered. Marissa looked at him sternly "And what if something happens? No offence Seth, but you aren't exactly a martial arts expert." Seth shrugged off the comment with a great sense of indifference, and Marissa continued as Summer got in the car. "You can't go alone, you'll get yourselves into trouble…That's it, me and Summer are coming with." Summer blinked "Wait, what?" she exclaimed, wondering what Marissa had just consented her to.

Everyone paused to look at her. Seth explained what had been said in the past few minutes and Summer nodded wearily, looking at Ryan. "Coop's right, you can't go alone." she said softy, "Cohen wrote Atomic County for a reason, and we should use that. We're a team, just like our comic counter parts, we're in this together and if one of us has a problem then it's all our problems." She said, nodding to Seth, who smiled back at his girlfriend proudly. "Comic book reference, cute Summer…" he turned back to Ryan. Face it man, we can't deny Summer's super motivational vocal ability…" he mused.

"C'mon" said Marissa reaching in from behind to message his shoulders coaxingly, "Pleaassseee…" "We can help you find him faster" offered Summer. "Yeah, four heads are better than…" "Alright!" said Ryan, finally giving in. "But when we do cross paths with Ray, you three are out of there, you hear? You can help me find him if you want but I don't want any of you getting directly involved." He warned, driving down in the direction of Chino, explaining the specifics as they drove.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, the gang had arrived in Chino, and Summer, quite enthralled by the sights, looked around the new landscape with fascination.

"So this is where you grew up huh?" She asked Ryan, who nodded. "It's also where we almost got killed delivering a car during thanksgiving…" Marissa reminded her. Ryan thought back on the memory, and how long ago that event now seemed as he parked the car outside a gas station.

Seth and Summer stayed with the car, as Marissa nipped into the station to see if she could find a toilet to use. Meanwhile Ryan took his time to go into a near by phone booth to see if he could find any information about where his mother was now living.

With a little luck and a great deal of time sifting through the battered Chino phone book, Ryan finally came up with a number for the place where Mrs D. Atwood was supposedly staying at, and so lifted the receiver to make the call. As he did so, his three thoroughly bored friends were busy pacing up and down the side walk beside the car.

Summer approached Marissa with a restless look "I'm so hungry" she said "want to go find somewhere we can eat?" Marissa nodded, it had been a long journey and they'd had nothing to eat all day. "Sure" she answered, motioning to Ryan where they were going. Ryan nodded from inside the phone booth. The diner was only across the street, what harm could it do?

Summer and Marissa walked into the diner, getting a few dire looks in reference to their Newport clothes, and went to a booth. A waitress came over and the girls ordered enough food for them and the guys to takeout, before they began chatting about the situation at hand.

As they waited, two Spanish guys that had been sitting in a booth near them came strolling over, the tallest sporting a confident smirk. "Hey ladies, you two wanna come for a ride wid us?" he asked, trying to act cool infront of his younger friend.

Summer gave them a disgusted look "Ew!" she exclaimed, despite Marissa's warning look. The smaller guy gave a fake pout. "Aw c'mon honey, don't be like that…" he said, trying to sit down next to them.

"Oh, you don't!" Summer said, standing so the guy couldn't sit. Summer was quite a bit shorter then this guy, even with her heels on.

"Lets get this straight, I don't date guys from Chino. I don't even _go_ to Chino, with the exception of today, _which_ I was tricked into. And if you think for one moment that I'd go _anywhere_ with you, you're wrong, bud." The guy opened his mouth to speak, but Summer put her hand up, cutting him off as she continued. "Oh, I'm not done. If you even _think_ of making this day anymore worse then it already is, I'll kick your Chino ass!"

And with that, Summer grabbed the takeout bag from the approaching waitress and handed her the money, pushing past the guys. "C'mon, Coop." she snapped, walking out, Marissa rushing after her, not looking at the stunned guys.

Marissa laughed at Summer once they were on their way to the Range Rover. "I can't believe you did that!" she grinned at her friend. Summer shrugged, smiling. "I was pissed off and needed to yell at someone." She answered, approaching the Range Rover. The two girls' smiles disappeared as they saw Ryan's sullen face.

"What's wrong?" Marissa asked, frowning. Summer looked at Seth, who was silent. Ryan spoke up. "I found mom…The friend she's staying with said she's in pretty bad shape…We have to go there, see if she knows where Trey is…"

The girls nodded, handing out the food as they all got in the car, eating and driving in silence on their way to see Dawn Atwood.

End Chapter Three.

A/N: Ooh! Did anyone enjoy Summer's little rant as much as I enjoyed writing it? It's very Summer-like, isnt it? Ok, so, Chapter four is coming up, so review and i'll try work a little faster for your enjoyment! Ciao!


End file.
